sign in sign up
<<
Home , Myrtus

Myrtle As A Flowering Potted E. Jay Holcomb and Pantelis J. Michalas Department of Horticulture, Penn State Editor’s Note - This article is reprinted from the Pennsylvania Growers Bulletin , Nov/ December Bull. # 438, 1996. Abstract Myrtle, communis is a foliage L. is a that plant that is popular in and has can be found growing in Europe, the potential as a Middle East, flowering pot , plant once its and Australia as a culture is better plant. understood. These are Myrtle can be popular because propagated in a they are drought fog chamber or tolerant. and under mist from resistant or softwood cuttings tolerant to up to 16 cm long and diseases. if the cuttings are Some problems treated with 5,000 with scale and ppm IBA as a dip. Phytophthora Perlite mist is too have been frequent the reported when cuttings may not plants are under root well. A water stress. moderate well- Several cultivars drained growing media like peat- of Myrtus communis L. have been perlite produced better plants than peat developed, including ‘Compacta’ . moss alone. In this experiment ‘Microphylla’, ‘Flore Pleno’, and photoperiod did not affect flowering ‘Variegata’. In Europe, especially in and the plants flowered in the spring Germany, some of these cultivars are as usual. Sumagic and A-Rest reduced being used as potted plants for tile shoot elongation and produced a better home. looking than when no growth retardant was used. Myrtle can be propagated-. from cuttings as we‘] as . Riehl (1 957) recommends taking myrtle cuttings in August. Kapeley and Kirmanova (1975) recommended semi-hardwood cuttings because they are easier Medium Concentration of IBA (ppm) TOTAL to root than either softwood or 0 DDm 1.000 5.000 10.000 hardwood cuttings. MacDonald j Peat/Perlite 0 41 cm 1 41 cm I 84 cm 2 63 cm 6 29 cm (1990) suggests that the cuttings (5Oi50) should be 7.5 to 15 cm and a Perlite 069ciii 0 24cm 3 20cm 129cm 5 42 cm rooting compound should be ( 100%) applied. can also be used O24cm 000cm 0 71 cm O60cm 155 cm for the propagation of myrtle Peat but crop production will be I I I I I I longer than if cuttings had been 1 Total 11 34cmI 165cm~575cm~451cm~ 1 used to start the crop. According to Lamont (1976), Page - 12 seedling plants develop a special earlier flowering in myrtle. swollen root called a lignotuber. This The objectives of this work were to structure permits the myrtle to survive examine rooting of cuttings in drought conditions and disease and different media and different damage. When plants are concentrations of IBA, to determine if propagated from cuttings, there is no long days would affect flowering. and lignotuber development; thus, cutting produced plants will not be as drought resistant as seed propagated plants.

Concentration of IBA O/O To grow myrtle as a Medium (PPm) Total # Rooted flowering potted plant, the 0 I 1.000 I 5.000 I 10.000 factors that affect Peaflerlite: I 3 1 7 1 7 1 7 1 25 I 89% flowering should be (50/50) clearly defined, currently, Perlite: 141 1 16 16 I17 161% they are not. Some woody 100%) plants that belong to the Peat: 4 0 2 5 11 3 9% same family as myrtle ( 100%) respond to a change in Total ## I 13 s 15 18 53 I photoperiod. For example, O/O Rooted I 57 38% 71% 86% 1 63% Lugerstroemia indica and Cullisternon citrinus will flower in response to long day conditions (Keever and Cobb. to determine if myrtle would respond 1985). In its native environment, to selected growth retardants myrtle will flower in the spring and occasionally, if there is adequate moisture and fertilizer. it may flower Material and Methods again in the fall. It is possible that myrtle may be flowering in response Effect of Media npeand IBA to long days. Concentration on Rooting: In August, 16 cm long cuttings of Growth retardants reduce the height of Myrtus communis 'Compacta were many plants, making the plant form or taken from stock plants that had been size more acceptable for the pot plant maintained in the greenhouse. The market Although myrtle does not grow bottom 4 cm of each stem was too rapidly, we stripped of felt that growth , and the retardants might bottom 2 cm of create a more each stem was compact plant wounded. The and produce a cuttings were darkei green then dipped into color. Some one of 4 rooting growth retardants solutions for 10 have been seconds. reported to cause Solutions were flower initiation made from in certain plants. potassium indole It is possible that butyric acid growth retardants (IBA), at 0, would produce 1,000, 5,000 or more compact 10,000 ppm. The plants and that cuttings were they might cause then placed into

Page - 13 one of three rooting media: peat moss, ppm, and Sumagic (uniconazole) at perlite, or a 1: 1 mixture of peat and 25,35 and 45 ppm. The plants were perlite. One-half of the cuttings were sprayed with the growth retardants in placed under an intermittent mist mid-January. One stem was selected system with 10 sec of mist every 6 on each plant and that stem was minutes and the other half were placed measured for length every 2 weeks for 5 weeks.

Results and Discussion Effect of Media Type and IBA Concentration on Rooting: Growth Regulator Shoot Length 'Elongation Rate Cuttings in the fog chamber had (cm) (YO) slightly longer roots and a greater

~~ Control 2.1 100 percentage rooted than those Sumagc 25 ppm 2.7 108 under the mist. The average Sum;c3;;: ;3 percent rooting in the fog I chamber was 63%, while the Suma r'c 45 1 1 A-Rest 30 2.6 158 percent rooting under mist was A-Rest 60 m 2.4 120 47%. The total root length in the 42 163 fog chamber was 13.3 cm, while A-Rest 90 ppm the total length was I1 . I cm *Elongation rate was calculated as final length ( at 8 under mist. The cuttings in the weeks) minus initial length divided by the control fog chamber were exposed to very high humidity, but did not have as much water fall on the in a fog chamber. The temperature in foliage as the cuttings under the mist. the greenhouse and fog chamber was These results agree with Reihl (1957), between 180 and 200 C. Seven weeks who reported that there was better after the experiment was begun, the rooting under drier conditions, number and length of roots was possibly due to less nutrient leaching. recorded for each cutting. Under either fog or mist, the greatest Effect of Photoperiod and Growth number of cuttings rooted in the peat- Retardants perlite medium (Table 1). In an This experiment was conducted additional experiments a medium of November through February, and a 25% peat and 75% perlite seemed to total of 70 plants were evaluated. give excellent rooting. There was also Thirty-five rooted cuttings were potted greater root length in the peat-perlite in 10 cm pots and moved to a long day than the other media (Table 2) Rooting treatment with 4 hours of incandescent in perlite was good but rooting in peat lighting from 1O:OO PM to 2:OO AM was quite poor. The probable daily. The irradiance level was 3 explanation is that the drier milmol/m-2/s-l. The other 35 cuttings environment was better. were potted and moved to a bench that had blackcloth drawn at 4:30 PM and Rooting without IBA was fair, and removed at 8:OO AM, ensuring a short 1,000 pprn IBA did not increase day. percent rooting. The percent rooting at 5,000 ppm was better than the control, Within this experiment, an additional and there was an additional increase in 7 treatments were applied Five plants percent rooting with 10,000 pprn IBA. in the long day treatment and 5 plants The best rooting was in peat-perlite in the short day treatment were treated where 1000 ppm IBA gave 100% with growth retardant. The treatments rooting. With peat-perlite medium, were control (no growth regulator), A- increasing IBA above 1,000 pprn did Rest (ancymidol) at 30,60 and 90 not affect percent rooting but root Page - 14 growth from cuttings, ‘Betty Lou’ attains a plant height of 25-30 cm (10- Upcoming MCFGA 12”) and plant spread of 50 cm (30”). The plant shape changes dramatically in the second year, with plant height of Meetings! 75-90 cm (2.5-3 ft.) and plant spread of 90 cm (3 ft.) across. Since ‘Betty February 11,1997-Gertens Greenhouses (450- Lou’ represents a new plant form for chrysanthemums, its inclusion 1501)- Speaker Topic - Use of Compost in in the landscape must be consistent Greenhouse Soil Mixes. with its final plant size. Customers must be informed that Maxi-MumsTM March 1. 1997 - Bus Tour with North Central Florists are to be planted at twice the normal Assoc. (will leave from Radission (Downtown, St. spacing for standard chrysanthemums. Paul)(info - call Clair - 461-0416), Len Busch Roses, It is recommended that ‘Betty Lou’ Busch Bros, Malmborg’s (Roger’s), Lunch - Natures cuttings be planted at least 120 cm (4 Hideaway (428-3013), Dan and Jerry’s, Hermes ft.) apart to ensure the attainment of full plant stature. Closer plantings of (Becker). Cost - $20.00 including lunch for members of 60-90 cm (2-3 ft.) would provide a either association. continuous hedge without the individual plants being April 8, 1997 - Tenatively Bailey’s Nursery (St. Paul). distinguishable. Extensive multi-site trials June 10, 1997 - Boat Trip down St. Croix leaving from throughout Minnesota have proven Stillwater. Maxi-MumsThl to be the most winter- hardy releases to date from the July ??, 1997 - Widmer Fund Annual Golf Tornament/ University of Minnesota garden chrysanthemum breeding program and Fund Raiser hosted by Malmborg’s. ‘Betty Lou’ is no exception. Winter survival is excellent (frequently August 12,1997 - Widmer Fund/MCFGA Field Day at >95%) without crown protection the University of Minnesota. Review of new research, (mulch). Flowering is also consistent trail and tours of laboratories will be given. across the state and through the years. Buffet meal is included. ‘Betty Lou’TM may be propagated only by licensed parties. September, 1997- still organzing Firms or individuals desiring to propagate and merchandise cuttings of October, tues, wed and thurs., 1997 - MCFGA Short ‘Betty Lou’ must apply for a license. Contact Drs. Neil Anderson (612/624- Annual Course 3232: FAX: 612/624-4941; E-mail: ander044 @maroon.tc.umn.edu) or Peter Ascher (6 12/624-9762; FAX: Call Clair DaRe (MCFGA Exectutive Secretary) at 6 12/624-494 1 ; E-mail: 641 -041 6 for more information. asche0O 1 @maroon.tc.umn.edu), Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, 1970 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55 108. Individuals may also contact these licensed propagators: Dooley Gardens, 210 North High Drive N.E., Hutchinson, MN 55350 (612/587- 3050) or Mums for Minnesota, 3 135 227th Street East, Faribault, MN 55021 (507/334-6220).

Page - 17